"It's not something we thought could every happen to him," agreed his mother, Lynn Grich, her voice quivering with emotion. "He had such plans, dreams."

Grich, 23, a junior engineering major at the South Carolina university, was shot to death when four masked men burst into his off-campus home, according to the Pickens County Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff's investigators arrested 19-year-old Jordan Dalton of Central; 24-year-old Jaron Dalton of Six Mile; and 19-year-old Bernard Ramsey of Central on charges of murder, armed robbery, first-degree burglary and weapons possession. They issued warrants for the arrest of Lester Mosley, 18, of Central, on the same charges.

Grich, McKinley and four others were inside the home when three men entered through an unlocked back door, authorities said. Deputies charged Grich's 29-year-old roommate, Robert McKinley, with simple possession of marijuana after deputies searching the home found the drugs.

"He really struggled to get through high school, but he overcame his disability because he was determined to make something of himself," said his mother.

After high school he enrolled in the New England Technical College in Rhode Island where he made the dean's list for two years. After his parents had moved to South Carolina Grich decided to enroll at Clemson. "He just thrived there," said his mother.

She said he spent his downtime making electronic music and had posted seven songs on the Internet.

Lynn Grich said her son's former classmates in Deep River are planning a candlelight vigil in his honor.

"It just continues to amaze me how many friends Steven had," she added.